In the past year the Staten Island Community Organizations Active in Disaster (SI COAD) has continued to grow and continues to be viewed by federal, state and local response agencies as “a role model” for community-based preparedness. Among recent accomplishments:

MEMBERSHIP

The SI COAD has grown from 18 members at its inception to 24. New members include Meals on Wheels of Staten Island and the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce.

The SI COAD continues to meet monthly (September-June) with visits to preparedness partners like New York City Emergency Management and the American Red Cross in Greater New York during the summer months.

The Medical Eco-System (MES), a sub-committee of the SI COAD has grown in membership as well, now at 18 members. The MES is comprised of the borough’s medical service providers, who will also provide assistance in the event of a large-scale community, beyond their normal capacity, if possible. Members of the MES include Richmond University Medical Center, Staten Island University Hospital, local physicians, mental health service providers, Emergency Medical Service (EMS) providers, and senior assisted living centers.

The MES also recently named a co-chair to help with the organizing and structure of the MES moving forward.

PLANNING

Each SI COAD member has completed assessment surveys to determine which services they may provide if called upon as an SI COAD member. This information has been compiled and used to update the SI COAD Resource Book. A copy of the book has been provided to each SI COAD member, FEMA, New York City Emergency Management, the Governor’s Office, and Staten Island Borough Hall.

In February, a call down drill was conducted, simulating an activation of the SI COAD in response to a large-scale emergency. All members of the SI COAD responded to the request for services within three hours of the drill’s start time. The SI COAD was the only coalition in New York City to have 100 percent participation.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

In November 2016, the SI COAD in partnership with several community organizations, held the first annual Family Ready Day. Over 350 people attended the event including FEMA, American Red Cross, NYC Emergency Management, NYPD and FDNY. In total, over 40 vendors were on hand to distribute emergency preparedness information and provide hands on skills such as CPR. The next Family Ready Day will be in June 2018 to coincide with the beginning of hurricane season in the Northeast region of the United States.

In September 2017, the SI COAD hosted the 4th Annual Self-Care Conference. Participants took part in a day of reflection and relaxation while learning valuable techniques to increase their resiliency, reduce stress and improve their own mental and physical well-being, including meditation, yoga, and recognizing burnout, PTSD, and stress-related conditions in themselves and others. The conference is perfect for counselors, advocates, case workers, medical practitioners, spiritual care leaders, and social service providers, individuals who tend to neglect their own well-being while helping others.

In May 2017, the SI COAD hosted a one-hour workshop during the Staten Island NFP Association’s Annual Nonprofit Conference. Entitled “Are You Prepared for Emergencies?” the workshop provided participants with steps and tips to ensure their organization and staff are prepared for future emergencies.

In April and June 2017, the SI COAD co-hosted three NYS Citizen Preparedness Corps (CPC) presentations with the American Red Cross. The CPC presentations were held at the JCC of Staten Island and covered all of the information to help people prepare, respond and recover from future emergencies.

RESPONSE PARTNER ENGAGEMENT

The SI COAD includes response partners such as FEMA, Governor’s Office of Storm Recovery, New York City Emergency Management, Port Richmond CERT, Salvation Army and American Red Cross, among other response organizations.

The SI COAD is actively engaged with the Staten Island Borough President’s Office, assisting with plans for the development of a local Emergency Operations Center and helping the Borough President develop a response plan for his office and staff in the event of an emergency.

Several community-based organizations have met with the SI COAD to better understand how to form similar coalitions in their areas, including Brooklyn and the Bronx. In addition, the SI COAD is viewed as a subject matter expert for the health care coalitions around New York City that are mandated to include community groups in their planning structures. Coalitions are contacting the SI COAD and/or being referred to the SI COAD by NYC Department of Mental Health and Hygiene for guidance.

FEMA is working with the SI COAD to further incorporate planning to assist persons with disabilities in response plans and to explore the opportunity of having people with disabilities be active members of the SI COAD.

In June, the SI COAD held its monthly meeting at Staten Island Borough Hall. The meeting was attended by SI COAD members, federal, state and local response agencies, as well as non-governmental organizations such as Salvation Army and American Red Cross. It was the first time that all such agencies had been brought together at one time on Staten Island to discuss emergency preparedness planning for the borough. At the meeting, NYC Emergency Management’s Deputy Commissioner for Community Preparedness said the work of the SI COAD, the plans it has developed, and the many partnerships it has forged are “unprecedented anywhere in the country.”

NEXT STEPS

In the coming months, the SI COAD plans to accomplish the following:

Host the annual Self-Care Conference in September and Family Ready Day in June 2018.

Continue to increase membership in the SI COAD and the MES.

Further its involvement with Borough Hall and FEMA.

Conduct assessment surveys of the MES members to compile their information and add it to the SI COAD Resource Book.

Participate in drills and exercises with response partners and conduct its own exercises.

Assist organizations, coalitions and agencies outside Staten Island as they form or expand their own levels of preparedness.